The case against William Balfour, charged with murdering three members of Oscar and Grammy Award winner Jennifer Hudson’s family, may be televised.
According to CBS Chicago, the forthcoming trial may be one of the first in the state to be televised due to a recent Illinois Supreme Court decision to allow cameras and microphones in courtrooms.
“This is another step to bring more transparency and more accountability to the Illinois court system,” Chief Justice Kilbride said in a release Tuesday. “The provisions of this new policy keep discretion in the chief circuit judge and the trial judge to assure that a fair and impartial trial is not compromised, yet affords a closer look at the workings of our court system to the public through the eyes of the electronic news media and news photographers.”
As previously reported, the family murder trial is set to begin in April, following years of delays and questioning. Balfour plead not guilty to murdering Hudson’s mother, brother and nephew in October of 2008.
At this point, chief circuit judges have not revealed whether they will allow cameras in the Balfour case as well as another upcoming high profile murder trial, that of Drew Peterson.
As seen last year, the public has had mixed reaction to televised trials including those of Dr. Conrad Murray and Casey Anthony.
